What happened: A sharp-thinking VIC helped Delray Beach Police bust a fraud operation after scammers tried to trick her out of nearly $10,000 in cash.
Background: 23-year-old Michael Alfonse Rescigno was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with organized scheme to defraud. The scheme unfolded over two days when a suspect posing as an FDIC investigator called the VIC, falsely claiming her bank account was compromised.
He instructed her to go to Chase Bank on South Federal Highway, withdraw $9,895 in cash, and hand it to a "bank courier". Recognizing the scam, the VIC stayed on the phone with the fraudster while using a second cell phone to call police.
Not realizing he was talking to officers through the VIC, the scammer mentioned over the phone that he saw marked police cars in the lot. Moments later, an Uber driver arrived to collect the package—unaware he had been hired by the scammers to act as their "courier".
When police approached the Uber driver, the scammer abruptly hung up on the VIC. Watching nearby, detectives spotted a gray Kia SUV—which had been circling and switching parking spots—rapidly flee the lot and head onto Interstate 95.
Officers pulled the SUV over on I-95 North, where they found three men inside, smelled Canna, and confiscated a loaded 9mm handgun from the driver, Ronald Garcia.
The available details are limited to the information verified at publication time. Readers should expect updates as the matter develops.
Any person identified in connection with an alleged offense is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Source: official sources including CBS12 News.
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